PG-13 Movies Have More Gun Violence Than R-Rated Ones

Is the MPAA doing its job?

The Annenberg Public Policy Center and University of Pennsylvania paired up and found that the amount of violence, sex, and substance abuse in PG-13 and R films are way too similar (via The Hollywood Reporter). They studied several hundred films from the '80s to the present and found that close to 90 percent of films feature violence, 77 percent of which also feature sex, drugs, or alcohol. Annenberg did another study several weeks earlier which found that there is actually more gun violence in PG-13 films than in R-rated movies.

The study weighted sexual imagery on a scale so the data wouldn't be skewed for say, a kiss on the cheek in a G-rated movie. A short sex scene was weighted less than a long one, and movies that featured multiple scenes of sex, violence, or drugs within five minutes of each other were deemed potentially more harmful. The researchers believe that kind of "grouped" exposure is more damaging to young minds.

After grouping the findings, the researchers believe that the MPAA isn't working: there isn't enough of a distinction between the two ratings. The MPAA countered with a statement that ratings are reflective of modern societal values. Apparently, parents these days love guns, drinking, alcohol consumption, and teens having sex.

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